The fourth installment in the Thursday Murder Club mystery series once again has our stalwart cast of characters facing off against bad guys of all sorts, police officers from out of town trying to muscle their friends out of an investigation, and the steady march of time itself. Joyce has found a new resident of Coopers Chase to nurture. She doesn't wish to date him, but is concerned about a rapidly developing online relationship with a woman he has never met. Elizabeth is preoccupied with the increasing severity of Stephen's dementia. Ibrahim continues to visit drug dealer Connie in prison as her therapist. And Ron is on the outs with his girlfriend.
Everything seems pretty much status quo, one might think. And then they hear that a friend of Stephen's has been killed and his business ransacked. The gang goes into action against an international smuggling ring, shady characters in the antiquities scene, officers from the National Crime Agency taking over the case from Chris and Donna, and all the usual obstacles they always work their way around. Between villains close to home and some flying in from overseas, the area becomes a dangerous place to tackle a mystery.
Four friends from a retirement community are solving something that the police seem stumped by. It seems incredible when you stop to think about it - but you never do actually stop to think. The characters with all their quirks and foibles and ties of affection seem so real that you willingly suspend disbelief and get pulled along with them for the ride. Joyce says that "Life continues, whatever you do. It's a bulldozer like that." Sometimes the murder club seems that way too, they keep going no matter what personal heartache or danger comes their way. Here's hoping that they will continue to do so, for the sake of our continued reading pleasure.
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